Cable TV
MSO says Cable TV amendments not enough
The changes approved by the Cabinet in the Cable TV Act, 1995 are welcome said Ashok Mansukhani, who once headed MSO InCable. “The focus is on the provider of the content, not on cable TV operators as being culpable for any questionable content,” says Mansukhani. “Earlier, a couple of cases had been filed against Star Movies where we were also named as infringers of the law. The amendment forcing broadcasters to adhere to the programming and ad code puts the onus on them.”
According to him, the amendments, serve to bring even pay TV channels under the DD programming code. “There is an equalisation between pay TV and free to air TV channels. Earlier on, programmers used to take refuge under the statement that they were pay channels.”
He, however, expressed doubt about the fact that the government had left policing of the amendments in the hands of local authorities. “What is all right in Mumbai may be repulsive in Agra. Hence making local designated authorities responsible for content can be a potential landmine field. A central broadcasting standards council should have been set up which will monitor content nationally. This is something the industry has been demanding.”
Additionally, what has got Mansukhani’s goose is the fact that the government (read: DD) is forcibly blocking up three channels to prop up the inefficencies of the state owned broacaster through the amendments.
“Almost 40 per cent of TV sets in India are not cable TV ready,” he says. “They can receive only 10-12 channels. By blocking three channels in the prime band the government- in partnership with DD – is limiting the industry from placing the channels of their and the consumers’ choice. DD has consistently been losing revenue to private channels and this amendment is a blatant effort by the broadcaster to improve its position, reduce competition through a government mandate.”
Cable TV
Hathway Cable appoints Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as CEO
Leadership change comes as cable TV faces shrinking subscriber base and modest earnings pressure
MUMBAI: Hathway Cable and Datacom has tapped industry veteran Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as chief executive officer, marking a leadership pivot at a time when India’s cable television business is under mounting strain.
Kapoor will take over from Tavinderjit Singh Panesar, who is set to retire in August after a long innings with the company. Panesar, chief executive since 2023, has held multiple leadership roles at Hathway, including his latest stint beginning in 2022.
Kapoor brings more than three decades of experience in media and entertainment. He most recently led distribution at The Walt Disney Company’s Star India business, now part of JioStar. His career spans television distribution and affiliate partnerships, with stints at Sony Pictures Networks India, Discovery Communications and Zee Entertainment.
Panesar, with over three decades in the industry, has worked across strategic planning, distribution and business development in media, broadcasting and manufacturing. His past associations include ESPN Star Sports, Star India, Apollo Tyres and JK Industries.
The transition lands as the cable sector grapples with structural disruption. Traditional operators are losing ground to streaming platforms, while telecom and broadband players tighten the squeeze with bundled offerings.
An EY report estimates India’s pay-TV base could shrink by a further 30 to 40 million households by 2030, taking the total down to 71 to 81 million. The slide follows a loss of nearly 40 million homes between 2018 and 2024, a contraction that has already wiped out more than 37,000 jobs in the local cable operator ecosystem.
Hathway’s numbers reflect the strain. The company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 93 crore for FY25, down from Rs 99 crore a year earlier. Revenue inched up to Rs 2,040 crore from Rs 1,981 crore. As of December 2025, it had about 4.7 million cable TV subscribers and roughly 1.02 million broadband users.
Kapoor steps in with a familiar brief but a shrinking playbook. In a market where viewers are cutting cords faster than companies can reinvent them, the new chief executive inherits a business fighting to stay plugged in.
